Noose

In an effort to hold onto her position as a tenured faculty member at Teachers College, controversial Professor Madonna Constantine is grasping at the last shreds of internal process available to her.

Teachers College was forced to do some soul-searching this year as the discovery of a noose on a professor’s door—and subsequent revelations about plagiarism on her part—brought to the fore questions about the school’s handling of racial issues.
On Oct. 9, a noose, an infamous symbol of lynching, was placed on the office door of psychology and education professor Madonna Constantine’s office door. Shortly thereafter, a swastika was found painted on the door of a TC professor known for her research on the Holocaust, kicking off a campuswide dialogue on the implications of hate crimes.

A state grand jury has subpoenaed Teachers College records concerning Constantine in an investigation of the appearance of the noose her door, an official confirmed.

“I need you to survive,” rang out Teachers College instructor Patrice Turner, her melodic voice going against sounds of New York traffic. In one hand, she held a candle, while in the other, she held a microphone which students were passing around in a circle.

“Not here! Not Anywhere! Not here! Not Anywhere!” So went the cries of disgusted protestors two weeks ago when a noose was found on the door of a black Teachers College professor. Yet evidence points to a sad reality: it is here, and it is pervasive in American society at large.

Rows of empty seats greeted New York Police Officer Michael Osgood as he discussed how police respond to hate crimes Monday evening.

The New York Police Department’s Hate Crime Task Force is using DNA fingerprinting technology to identify the person who hung the noose on a Teachers College professor’s door, but still have no suspects.

We, the members of the Association of Counseling Center Training Agencies, are writing to express our support for you in the wake of this racist attack both on you as a person and on the work you do in the area of diversity. We are both saddened and angered by what has occurred and hope you are personally safe. We have watched with appreciation the response by your community at Columbia and nationally to this attack and threat.

On Thursday afternoon, Spectator sat down with University President Lee Bollinger to discuss recent bias incidents, the invitation of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and the University's plans for Manhattanville expansion. The following is a transcript of the conversation.

On Wednesday, queer leaders issued a statement regarding the hate crime at Teachers College, where we asked individuals to send e-mails to President Bollinger, as well as call the main University telephone. Our friends are still writing, calling, and asking the President to ensure that demands of students and faculty of Teachers College and Columbia University are met.